Time Stitched

I do believe Summer tried to burst forth by the end of the week

Though I am still wearing a jacket on my early morning walk.

We went to friends for a delicious curry dinner

and good conversation.

That beige pile of stitching is supposed to be poppadoms!

Flowing whites and blues for our foggy beach visit.

Next morning on the dike

Rusty Pups and I spied an eagle fishing for breakfast

then we went home and attacked our garden weeds.

Still more attacking to do!

A day of rain

A day of stitch

A Heron flew right over my head on the dike

I felt if I stood on tippy toes I might touch him.

Later that day lots of us got together for a party

celebrating the life of a friend.

Our morning walk sometimes takes longer

today it was because of dolphins.

Wish I could have seen through the water

for they were obviously being very clever

corralling a school of fish.

Blue Waters

Watery Rhythms

echo through our veins

Watery blues

calm an over-active mind

Sea breezes

clear the cobwebs from our lungs

Water

brings life

Three Little Beauties

Chris made three little bowls

and gave them to moi.

I said I would keep threads in them...

...but they make a nice home for some special objects.

Walking Into The Sun and alongside Eagles

the railway line used to run along atop the dike here.

It makes for a nice flat walk!

I spied the marshland was full of white polka dots

spider webs caught in the morning sun.

Wild flowers were stretching up to greet the morning sun.

An eagle perched upon a huge rock

that only reveals itself at low tide...

looking for a fishy breakfast.

First Beach Trip of The Year

We sometimes come in Winter

but not this year.

On a bright and sunny Tuesday

we decided it was time.

It was 25 degrees celsius at home.

About a kilometre from the beach

the fog came in and dropped the temperature to 16c.

At low tide it was quite a walk

to actually get to see the sea.

And we had the beach to ourselves.

Driving home we noticed

that band of fog had crept up St. Mary's Bay

nearly obliterating the Digby Neck.

The Longest Day Scratched

A Summer solstice week

 Every leaf on every tree is surely out by now.

Tuesday was not only a rainy day

but a sad one too

for a dear friend back in England passed away.

Sylvia was our very first neighbour back in 1969.

She took us newly-weds under her wing

actually more like adopted us into her lovely family.

We were great friends for forty-seven years

and will miss her so very much.

My garden is a wilderness of gigantic weeds!

Thursday the sun came out and I went to quilt guild.

Scraps from the cutting room floor

We celebrated the Summer Solstice at dinner with friends

followed by a sizzling chat around the bonfire.

Steve gave us some basil plants

which are now planted in a sunny spot.

I was stitching basil after dinner when

our woodsman arrived with next winter's wood.

Quickly added things that could be taken for logs!

Peta The Thermofax Queen!

My hostess in Kingston

owns a Thermofax machine

and

a business making thermofaxes for us textile artists.

You can find her at

www.petabailey.com

I know I will be ordering from Peta

I know best results come from black and white

I'm having a hard time choosing

which ones I would get the most use out of

Probably not a good candidate....

but then again...why not!

I would be looking for repetition 

across a piece of fabric

perhaps discharged

perhaps coloured.

Who knows!

But I will make a decision

and order some.

Stitching Along Pliers in Hand

Been stitching

stitching through Egyptian cotton

Not such a good idea

Why do I never learn?

Every time I use some of my high threadcount

Egyptian cotton

I promise myself I will only ever machine stitch it.

But then machine stitching just isn't the same

as hand stitched marks.

Now I have carpel tunnel problems once again!

My First Beach Walk This Year

You never know what's going to catch your eye.

Every time it's different.

This walk it was gatherings of pebbles

or perhaps pebbles and footprints

But mostly just pebbles.

A family of five

Handy Hubby with the strip

Moi, I would be the pink one

and then my three boys

from smallest to oldest!

Have a nice day.

One Sky Now

Rescued donkeys

filled a paddock

Munching contentedly.

In the back field more donkeys

kept this beautiful pony company.

He seemed to think my camera might be edible.

Goats lived amid places for shade

and lots of places to climb.

This little adventurer reminded me of the days

when a simple cardboard box 

kept my boys happy for ages.

Being goats they all love to play

I'm the king of the castle.

Not only animals live here but

organic vegetables thrive

and plants for the garden too.

Scratched Tracks

A week that started off quiet

built into a crescendo of activity

and ended up quietly rhythmic again.

Drove to the South Shore

To Chester Basin

where I a group of us gathered to learn about paper

Japanese paper

Washi.

Then on to One Sky Now

a lovely organic farm

full of rescued animals.

Whilst staying with Chris

we mixed colours

not very scientifically

but we learnt a lot.

Then we joined other humans plus a golden

for a lovely beach-combing walk

Friday meant driving even further from home

to a FAB meeting

where I tried to catch up with some stitching but

couldn't resist Karen demoed fabric weaving.

After leaving all the fabulous ladies

it was time to make tracks back to the valley

and home.

That night I slept 12 hours!

Must be some kind of record.

Now I'm getting back into the rhythm of home.